if it says,,, aluminum and chlorine react to produce aluminum chlorideand the answer is2Al + 3Cl2 - 2AlCl3.but i don't understand why the product have Cl3I thought it's Cl 2.and one more thingdoes the combining capacites have an effect on the formoula??help me!
Understand it in this wayAluminium (atomic no13) has 3 electrons in its outer most shell and in order to complete its octet either it has to take 5 electrons or has to loose 3 electrons, so it looses three electronsChlorine (atomic no17) has 7 electrons in its outer most shell and to complete its octet it can either take 1 electron (which is easier) or have to loose 7 electrons, so it take one electronNow one aluminium can give three electrons, therefore three chlorine atoms (needed one electron each) will take this from one aluminiumtherefore chemical compound that will form is AlCl3Now because chlorine is in the form of diatomic molecule (Cl2) so we can not just have 3 chlorine atoms (we can have either multiple of 2, one Cl2 means 2 chlorine atome, 2 Cl2 means 4 chlorine atom and 3 Cl2 means 6 chlorine atoms.) Now for three chlorine atoms you need one aluminium and six chlorine atoms (i.e3Cl2) will need 2 aluminium atoms to form 2 molecule of AlCl3Therefore the equation is 2Al + 3Cl2 - 2AlCl3 I hope it will help you to understand.
